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Books > Social sciences > Warfare & defence > Military life & institutions
"Fighting for Democracy" shows how the experiences of African
American soldiers during World War II and the Korean War influenced
many of them to challenge white supremacy in the South when they
returned home. Focusing on the motivations of individual black
veterans, this groundbreaking book explores the relationship
between military service and political activism. Christopher Parker
draws on unique sources of evidence, including interviews and
survey data, to illustrate how and why black servicemen who fought
for their country in wartime returned to America prepared to fight
for their own equality.
Parker discusses the history of African American military
service and how the wartime experiences of black veterans inspired
them to contest Jim Crow. Black veterans gained courage and
confidence by fighting their nation's enemies on the battlefield
and racism in the ranks. Viewing their military service as
patriotic sacrifice in the defense of democracy, these veterans
returned home with the determination and commitment to pursue
equality and social reform in the South. Just as they had risked
their lives to protect democratic rights while abroad, they risked
their lives to demand those same rights on the domestic front.
Providing a sophisticated understanding of how war abroad
impacts efforts for social change at home, "Fighting for Democracy"
recovers a vital story about black veterans and demonstrates their
distinct contributions to the American political landscape.
This book is a study of the importance and significance of
community identity to a fighting unit in the First World War. In
this case the unit in question is primarily 7th King's Regiment and
more widely the 55th West Lancashire Division, 1914-18. The book is
based upon the author's own PhD thesis "The 1/7th Battalion King's
Liverpool Regiment and the Great War - the experience of a
Territorial battalion and its Home Towns". It is an analysis of the
relevance of the local communities to the battalion and its
division and its combat effectiveness; the role played by the army
in the local communities' involvement in the War; and the post-War
ramifications of this relationship. In focusing on 1/7th Battalion
Kings Liverpool Regiment, a Territorial battalion based in Bootle,
Southport and the surrounding area of south west Lancashire, the
thesis follows a typical Territorial unit and its home towns from
recruitment and establishment to demobilisation and beyond. A wide
range of primary sources have been examined including local
newspapers, local Council records, official War Diaries of the
various units, battle reports and private papers of several of the
combatants in an extensive compilation of research. New
perspectives are presented on several aspects of the First World
War including the Lusitania riots; the battles of Festubert, 1915,
and Givenchy, 1918; and the role of charities in post-War
reconstruction work. It also raises general issues about the role
of the Territorial Force and draws attention to several gaps in the
social and military historiography of the War. The conclusion of
the book is that local and community identity contributed
significantly towards the 1/7th Kings' morale, organisation and
hence battle effectiveness. This contribution initially stemmed
from the local recruits themselves but was actively nurtured and
encouraged by commanders at Battalion, Brigade and Divisional level
throughout the War. It also establishes that by putting the local
Battalion at the centre of its concerns, the rather disparate
communities were able to organise, coalesce and maximise their War
effort and support. Finally, it demonstrates in the post-War years,
that, despite the fluctuations in this mutually important
relationship, the local identification with the Battalion was
maintained in memorialisation, remembrance and reconstruction.
Many men and boys from Leeds enlisted as volunteer soldiers at the
outset of the First World War as part of the national phenomenon of
'Pals' that sprang up across the Britain. The Leeds Pals, who made
up the 15th Battalion (Prince of Wales's Own) West Yorkshire
Regiment (the City Battalion), trained in rugged Colsterdale and at
Ripon, guarded the Suez Canal and were changed irrevocably by their
experiences during the Battle of the Somme in 1916 when, on the
first day, the battalion was devastated. Who were these men? How
did their experiences resonate in Leeds? What impact did they have
on the city itself? Using unpublished archive sources and original
research, this book adds to our knowledge of the Leeds Pals through
case studies and historical overview, revealing how the city
treated this one battalion at the expense of others.
Dave Barr knew from 12 years old he wanted to be a Marine.
Following a series of menial jobs - including working at a shoe
shiner in a barber's shop and in service stations - at 17 he joined
the Marines before shipping out to Vietnam. This was his dream come
true - flying as a helicopter gunner - and he ended the war with an
impressive 57 Air Medals, one Air Medal for every 20 combat
missions. After leaving the Marines, like many veterans, Dave found
it hard to hold down a good job and stay out of trouble. It was
then that he read about Israel. Always looking for a rush, Dave
learnt to skydive before deciding to take his chances - emigrating
illegally to Israel. He was inducted into the Israeli Army and then
the Paratroopers, where the training was difficult - involving long
tough marches, as well as learning Hebrew. After serving his time,
he left Israel - and back in the USA, Dave was stuck in a rut and
ready for his next adventure. This is the second volume of Dave's
memoirs. Just as rich and colourful an account as the first
instalment, the book portrays a professional soldier's view of the
'sharp end' of war. Following on from his time in the Israeli Army
paratroopers, Dave travelled to Rhodesia and fought alongside the
Rhodesian Light Infantry. His next assignment was with the South
African Defence Force in operations in South West Africa and
Angola. Then came the fateful day and near fatal injuries as a
result of a land mine explosion. Almost a year later following 20
operations and Dave was finally allowed back onto active duty and
doing what he did best, being a soldier.
Part history book and part travel guide, D-Day Gunners is aimed at
anyone interested in the artillery on the D-Day beaches and landing
grounds. While the heritage of the D-Day beaches and landing sites
is well documented, this rarely includes the Gunner story. The
author of this book aims to correct this by providing a visitors'
guide to the gunner stories associated with the battlefield
heritage, which remains on the D-Day Beaches, and usefully mapping
the fire-plan for D-Day, against the known German locations and
looked at what happened at these places. There is relatively little
explanation about the role of the artillery in general or the deeds
of artillerymen, in particular those of the Royal Regiment of
Artillery. This book tells of the significance of artillery on
D-Day and the part it played in the outcome. Initial reports
published stressed that the coastal defences were effectively
neutralized by the bombing and that no significant counter attacks
developed on D-Day, however, post-war accounts increasingly
attributed allied success to allied fire power.The book largely
documents the stories of the men who served the guns on the D-Day
beaches, mostly British, but with the occasional view of the
Kannoniers. The main sources for this are the accounts by veterans
and contemporary accounts. The medal cards within The National
Archives contain some information about the actions, which resulted
in awards. The last part of the book has been written as a guide to
the D-Day Beaches, telling the gunner stories that are not always
commemorated on memorials, interpretation boards, or recorded in
more general guides. These poignant stories include war poets and
heroes decorated for bravery or just the tales of some of the men
buried on the war cemeteries or commemorated on the memorials.
General George Monck once described the Royalist horse as "a rabble
of gentility". Modern research has largely dispelled this image of
the King's cavalry. However the description seems at first sight
appropriate to the body of cavalry known as the "Northern Horse".
Formed from those elements of the Marquis of Newcastle's Northern
Royalist Army which elected to continue to fight after the crushing
defeat at Marston Moor (2 July 1644) during the next 15 months the
Northern Horse swept across much of England and Wales , becoming
increasingly notorious in the process. United and reorganised by
their commander, the formidable Sir Marmaduke Langdale, the
Northern Horse, whilst professing loyalty to the King, increasingly
followed their own agenda, of renewing the war in the North,
sometimes at the expense of the wider Royalist cause. This book
looks at the origins and composition of the Northern Horse, the
characteristics of its officers and men, their motivation and
behaviour, and their impact on those they encountered. It examines
their chequered fighting record, a subject of debate even among
contemporaries. It will deal with their victories, notably their
epic relief of Pontefract in March 1645, and their controversial
role at such encounters as Naseby and Rowton Heath. The book makes
extensive use of contemporary sources, some used here for the first
time. Extensively illustrated, including specially commissioned
artwork and maps, 'Rabble of Gentility?' will be welcomed by
readers interested in the history of the British Civil Wars, living
history enthusiasts, wargamers and model makers, and those
interested in the history of Northern England in the 17th century.
Since September 11 2001, or "9/11", approximately 2.7 US million
service members have served in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Many thousands have been wounded, with injuries ranging from mild
to severe. PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) and TBI (traumatic
brain injury) have been called the "signature wounds" of war. The
psychological injuries of war, PTSD and related co-morbid
conditions, lead to feeling isolated from others, which directly
affects intimate relationships. TBI (traumatic brain injury) is
also a very common injury from these past decades of war. The
treatment of PTSD and TBI involves medications that often have
sexual side-effects, such as erectile dysfunction and loss of
libido, weight gain, ejaculatory delay, and sedation. The bomb
blast has been the "signature weapon" of these conflicts. Service
members wear helmets and body armor, which covers their torsos.
Thus blasts primarily effect the lower exposed areas of the body,
including the extremities and pelvic region. Numerous service
members have lost one or both legs, and in some cases arms. Because
of the blast, many have lost part or all of their genitalia, their
penis or testes. This loss directly impacts sexual functioning and
fertility. The bomb blast or other weapons may also burn and scar
faces and hands. Pain from these injuries and subsequent surgeries
is a constant theme. Sexual difficulties contribute to relationship
difficulties, domestic violence, and suicide. Less well recognized
is the impact of toxic exposures on sexual health. All wars are
environmentally dirty. Agent Orange is the best known toxic agent
from Vietnam. Anti-malarial agents, used in Iraq and Afghanistan,
cause a host of neuropsychiatric effects. Sexual assault is another
type of toxic exposure. Thus there are a host of ways that exposure
to combat can affect intimacy, sexual functioning and fertility.
Fortunately there are many strategies to mitigate these negative
effects, which are covered in detail in this book.
The brand NEW instalment in the bestselling Harpers Emporium series
by Rosie Clarke. Can the Harpers Girls look forward to some happy
times as a new dawn rises over London?Sally Harper is busy juggling
running London's Oxford Street Store Harpers and looking after her
beautiful new-born daughter, whilst husband Ben is overseas on
another dangerous mission, this time to rescue a friend in need.
Young Becky Stockbridge finds herself in a difficult situation
which could bring shame to her and her family. Will Becky, with the
help of her friends find her happy ever after and keep her secret?
Marion Jackson is blessed with a son as she eagerly awaits the
return of her husband Reggie. But all is not right when Reggie
returns. Is Marion strong enough to save her family from yet
another crisis? As the war clouds retreat and the victory bells
ring, tears and joy mingle with those of sadness as the world
counts the true toll of war and celebrates peace.
From 1948 through the 1950s British and Commonwealth forces fought
a ruthless communist insurgency on the Malay peninsula. Thanks to
sound generalship and the dedication and resilience of the officers
and men, the security forces eventually broke the terrorists'
resolve. 1st Battalion The Suffolk Regiment was just one of many
British units involved in this successful campaign, known as the
Malayan Emergency. Their tour between 1949 and 1953 coincided with
the most crucial years when the future of the country and,
arguably, the South East Asia region lay in the balance. As this
book describes in words and superb contemporary images how the
Battalion, the majority of whom were National Servicemen, operated
under the most demanding jungle and climatic conditions, earning
itself an enviable reputation. The Battalion's experiences are well
recorded here and typify those of tens of thousand servicemen whose
efforts secured a unique victory.
The Sixteenth Lancers already had a long and distinguished history
when they sailed for India in 1822. Over the next twenty four years
they fought in four wars, most famously in the Sutlej campaign,
against the Sikhs. The Battle of Aliwal, in January 1846, is still
celebrated by the successor regiment of the British Army. In their
peacetime life in India, the Sixteenth sometimes enjoyed their
exotic surroundings, but also endured the perils of a tropical
climate - the regiment lost far more men due to disease than in
battle. This book examines in detail what regimental soldiering was
like in India in those years. It draws on an unprecedented range of
sources, most of them previously unpublished. Aside from the
official archives, the story is enlivened by a rich collection of
journals, letters and diaries left by the officers and men. An
important feature of the book is the detailed roll of every officer
and man who served in the Sixteenth in the Sutlej. This provides a
unique profile of the ranks at Aliwal: where they came from, what
skills they brought to the army, why they enlisted, and what
happened to them in their army career and afterwards. Some
surprising results have been revealed: the high rate of literacy,
the high suicide rates, and the proportion of men who stayed on in
India when their regiment returned home. The officers were highly
experienced and professional, in stark contrast to the amateur
attitudes of their fellows in the Crimea. All aspects of regimental
soldiering are examined- command, uniforms and weapons, horses,
training and medical services, but also how the men lived and
played (the Sixteenth's theatre was famous). Many officers and men
were from army families, and the period covered shows soldiers'
sons growing up in the regiment and often reaching high rank. This
unique'social history' approach to the study of a British regiment
will appeal to a wide audience; not only to students and academic
staff studying military and social history, but also to students of
Indian history, and to family historians with army ancestors. The
account of the Sutlej campaign is relevant to the world-wide Sikh
community. The nominal roll of the regiment will be appreciated by
medal collectors, for whom an 'Aliwal' medal to the regiment has a
special allure. The successor regiment of the Sixteenth Lancers is
again serving in Afghanistan, so that this book has a topical
resonance.
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